Ridracoli: the culture of water in Romagna

Sometime man and nature succeed in creating wonderful work of art: natural masterpieces that change and better the environment and the life of people.

The Dam of Ridracoli is one of these good examples. It was 1975 when the working started: this dam had to collect waters to make a good and constant offer for Romagna people, from the mountains to the coastal towns. The place was perfect to build such a complex work and the Bidente river had the natural water flow and the area was pollution free.

The water civilization in Romagna

Soon this place began one of the most attractive in the area, people wanted to see the hugest dam in the region, also considering the surrounding nature of the National Park and the many chances to do trekking itineraries, in every season of the year.

The name of the dam comes from a tiny village with 3 houses, a palace, a church and a bridge. Ridracoli is a must see if you are planning a day in the area. You will probably meet the ten people living there. From the village and through a private route, you can reach the dam.

Under this huge engineering work you can find the lake of Ridracoli, a water reservoir near the village of Bagno di Romagna. The lake has an area of 1,035 square kilometers and is 92 meters deep and can hold up to 33.06 million cubic meters of liquid. Around the lake lies the woody vegetation, crisscrossed by hiking trails and equipped with areas for picnics.

Starting from the month of March, you can also make an exciting excursion by electric boat or a guided canoe, alone or in groups, accompanied by an expert instructor.

The culture of waters in Romagna has always been very important. Other than spending a day in the park on the boat, you can also visit Idro, a special museum dedicated to understand water in its components. The headquarters of the structure welcomes visitors with exhibition rooms dedicated to the distribution of water on the planet, the importance of water in the world of living beings, water as an essential element of life. Other areas are dedicated to Ridracoli water path, the river basin to the dam, the water purifier to our homes and to the fauna of the Bidente Valley, the knowledge with animals that have inhabited and inhabit this territory. The visitor is accompanied to discover the secrets of water and forest by means of display elements, models, scientific experiments and interactive games with which children and adults can do small and large discoveries. One room is dedicated to children, with practical experience, sensory and interactive games.
The galleries along the right bank of the lake are the real thresholds of access to the protected area. Within them, through visual, auditory and tactile, we are immersed in the natural size of the park. The technological center is referred to the history of the construction of the dam and to control systems that are currently applied. Through the display of building schemes, projects and photos can retrace the fundamental stages of the work.

Tips and Info

To visit Idro, please contact the society Atlantide at this website, http://www.atlantide.net/idro

The boat tour lasts 45 minutes and can land near the paths to Rifugio Ca di Sopra and the Comignolo, the two shelters. (from which, in about 45 minutes you reach the Forest of Lama).
On board, an expert guide is on hand to tell the story of the dam, answer questions and satisfy your curiosity.

You can book your trip only in the embarkation on the same day

Full ticket € 3.00
Reduced ticket € 2.60 (under 12, over 65, disabled)

Canoeing with instructor

May by reservation only (minimum 8 people)
JUNE, JULY all Sundays and public holidays
August every Sunday and public holidays (lake level permitting)

Rates per person:
1 hour € 5,
2 hours € 7
half / full day € 15